Virginia Mason Facilities: A Case Study

For those living in poverty in New Orleans, Louisiana, there are over 51 assistance programs and help agencies; from legal, medical, financial, and residential assistance programs to Food Banks, shelters, employment centers, and childcare agencies. The main to Food Banks for the area, the Bogalusa Help Center and the Second Harvest Food Bank, combined feed roughly 500,000 people in the greater New Orleans, Jefferson parish region. Aside from providing food access, these Food Banks also provide education, advocacy, and disaster relief. Community medical clinics such as the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans, and the Louisiana Foundation of Dentistry, are non-profit clinics that run with the help of medical doctors and volunteers,

Probably one of the most profound ways that donors support Geisinger Marworth is providing financial resources for patients who cannot afford to attend the program. The Gift of Hope fund provides scholarships for nearly 75 people each year who otherwise would not get the treatment, counseling and guidance on their way to sobriety.

The Huntington Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC) located in Huntington, West Virginia provides health care to over 54,800 Veterans annually (Smith-Dikes, 2013). The mission statement of the Huntington VAMC is “to provide excellent care and service to those who have served our nation – every Veteran, every time!” (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2016). With this statement in mind, to care for the needs of homeless Veterans in the area, the Huntington VAMC opened the Huntington VA Homeless Veterans Resource Center (HVRC) (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2016). The HVRC provides homeless Veterans and those at risk for homelessness with job assistance, counseling, housing referrals and laundry and shower facilities, as well as referral to physical and mental health appointments. The HVRC also maintains a donation room and in house emergency food pantry. In pursuit of providing quality care for homeless Veterans, the Veterans Administration (VA) has also created different programs that join together social work with primary care, mental health, and rehabilitation services to deal with complex issues faced by these Veterans (Amdur et al, 2011). In 2008, a joint program, known as Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs

The lodge gives patients and caregivers a free place to stay since getting the best possible cancer treatment sometimes requires traveling away from home. According to M.R (personal communication, March 4, 2013), “Hope Lodge allows patient and their caregivers focus on getting well and it is a place to share a meal, join different patient centered activities and unwind.” The service is free of charge but the requirement is that the patient must live at least 40 minutes away from the cancer treatment center. It is a home away from home.

This agency utilizes a sliding scale for client’s who are paying cash for treatment. Otherwise, they accept a variety of insurances, including Medicaid and their managed care options, as well as private insurance options. This is their main funding source. Julia reports that clients are referred through multiple sources, including other agencies, hospitals upon discharge, word of mouth, internet searches, and other avenues. For the most part, individuals contact the agency for assistance to begin the referral process, which includes completing consents and confidentiality paperwork, an assessment, and treatment planning. The referral process can be initiated through an online form submission process.

The VA is the primary hope for veterans and where there help comes when they need it. Linda Schwartz, the head of Connecticut’s VA says the problem is probably a lot bigger than what the numbers say. “A veteran’s death often does not get reported as a suicide” (Radelat) The problem is huge and daunting to the VA. Schwartz’s VA is proud that her facilities seem to have largely missed the scandal of the VA, and the VA is offering different therapies to widen out the options for the veterans when they go to the VA.

The VA is not doing well financially, due to the fact many services not available at the Hampton VA. On a daily basis, veterans are being referred out to neurosurgery, orthopedics, pregnancy, positive troponin, to a higher level for care. Most of this veterans are not service connected, and the department of VA affairs does not turn away veterans because of no service connections.

Previously homeless, Adam and his family reside in the Blue Butterfly Village(BBV), that is designated for veteran families who are recipients of the VASH vouchers. Through the Cohen clinic’s mission,

However as of more recent, the focus has been to cut spending and this in turn has affected most notably, Veterans Affairs (VA) and their health programs. According to the VA, “VA is charged with fulfilling President Lincoln’s promise to care for those “who shall have borne the battle, and for ” their families and their survivors. To support this mission, the 2016 Budget provides $70.2 billion in discretionary funding for VA, a 7.9 percent increase above the 2015 enacted level. In addition, the budget includes $3.2 billion in estimated medical care collections, for a total discretionary budget authority of $73.5 billion (which includes $3.2 billion in Medical Care Collections) and $95.3 billion for VA’s mandatory benefit programs.” This increase in budgetary spending can be deceiving as the VA is also seeing an increase in the amount of veterans claiming benefits. So although there is a budgetary increase, it is not enough (a deficit) to fulfill all claims made by veterans and/or their families and therefore is causing the VA to make cutbacks in both military construction efforts, but more importantly in medical benefits that veterans receive. For instance, improving veterans access to medical care to include strengthening their benefits program is a matter of priority. As has been recently of subject in the news, wait times for veterans has been extreme and inefficient, at times to the detriment of the health of veterans. Although the increase is aimed at providing more physicians and improving the VA’s “physical” infrastructure, the budgetary increase lacks the foresight to address the growing veteran population in concurrence with the needed changes that are being proposed. In an article published in Military Times on

The men and women who serve our country risk their lives every single day to protect their country and the people in it. Out of all sacrifices one could make, going to war to protect their country is the largest offering a human will ever be able to make. It is not of monetary value that these sacrifices are paid, but rather in blood. And if these soldiers are able to come home, treatment is less than mediocre. A census report shows, “There [is] 21.8 million veterans of the U.S. armed forces as of 2014” (Risen). With that large of a number of people to take care of, it is not always easy to help everyone. In continuation, only 8.3 million veterans are receiving veterans affairs benefits and care (“By the Numbers: Veterans”). The amount

Jude’s as St. Jude’s provides treatment, transportation, housing and food as all the family should worry about is their child's life (Why Support Us?). St. Jude’s will also accept patients who have already been treated elsewhere and are eligible for transplantation, relapse, or Phase I or II clinical trials (ALSAC - St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital). St. Jude also enhances the experience of patients and families on the developing 66-acre campus. The new patient experience office is being set up and construction of new housing facility is planned, showing how the organization shows compassion and great care for the patient's family and the patient (McKenzie). The organization won’t just provide excellent housing, but also will provide food, transportation and treatment without a cost to the family. St. Jude’s is an organization providing the utmost care for its patients, their families and their mental well-being, providing a variety of treatments and resources without a cost to the

Veteran affairs health care programs were established in 1930 to provide ongoing care and rehabilitation to veterans injured during wartime service. Today, the VA provides for a wider range of inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care services to veterans. The VA is now giving treatment to those veterans who have low-income and medical conditions unrelated to military service. Though veterans who have served our country are valued higher than many, there are still many veterans who are not insured and do not have proper access to healthcare. “In fact, just 8.9 million out of the 22 million veterans in the U.S. are enrolled in VA health benefits, which are reserved for those who have been disabled through military service or are very low-income.

They treat patients, perform tests, change dressings, manage medications and provide immune and pre and post operative care. At Christ House they have seen a numerous amount of illnesses and injuries, including bone fractures, cancer, lung diseases, foot and leg ulcerations, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, liver disease, kidney failure, burns and frostbite. Most of their patients have more than one diagnosis. Substance abuse and mental illness treatment are also included at this facility. The staff also make special arrangements for hospitalization, follow-up care, and visits to medical specialists, such as cardiologists, oncologists, and physical therapists. They also connect their patients with other doctors in the area so they can get better diagnostics. All together this organization offers such an amazing opportunity for the ill and homeless to get help and the attention they

A few people believe that a few veteran charities are frauds that trick people into donating their cash. “Last month, prosecutors in Ohio pursued Vietnam veteran Michael Muhammad, claiming that he raised money for himself through his charities, Help Homeless Veterans and Veterans Hope Community House,” (Huffington Post). However, according to the results, Michael was covered by his lawyer, whom stated that his charities were meant to aid veterans. Like his charities, Semper Fi Fund was meant to aid veterans. According to Semper Fi, “Since establishing the Semper Fi Fund in 2004, we’ve issued more than 108,000 grants, totaling more than $122 million in assistance to over 15,500 of our heroes and their families” (Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund). If Semper Fi Fund couldn't have afforded to benefit injured soldiers with TBI, they would’ve been one of the top five worst

The Hospital also makes available free care programs for qualifying patients under its charity care and financial aid policy. During the registration, billing and collection process, a patient’s eligibility for free care funds is determined. For patients who do not receive free care and who are determined to be eligible for charity care in the form of discounted medical services under the Hospital’s charity care and financial aid policy, care given but not paid for is classified as charity care(CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION).